Perpetual Aquatic Rebreather

ABSTRACT

This device, the PAR, surpasses most currently available SCUBA-type devices in terms of range, time-limits, portability, and etc. Using countercurrent exchange, the design with which fish and other organisms with gill-like structures absorb oxygen from their environment, the invention can produce oxygen almost indefinitely. Through electrolysis of water, and the hydrophobic properties of Teflon, the PAR is able to gain a person access to a reliable oxygen source while submerged underwater. Furthermore, the inner working of the PAR can be summarized as using the electricity from the attached power source to evaporate or split incoming water particles into a gas composed of roughly 33% hydrogen and 66% oxygen, this dilutes the oxygen gas and reduces its toxicity. The gas is then diffused through a hydrophobic Teflon filter and brought to the user, all without any complicated external pipes and heavy tanks.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit of the prior art in U.S. Pat.No. 8,631,788B, better known as, “Artificial gills for deep divingwithout incurring the bends and for scavenging O2 from and dispellingCO2 into water or thin air”, which is referred to in the section titled“Brief Summary of the Invention”. This application also claims thebenefit of U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,489A, better known as “MembraneOxygenator”, which is referred to in the section titled “Background ofthe Invention”.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT (Ifapplicable)

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISC APPENDIX (if Applicable)

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Perpetual Aquatic Rebreather (PAR) aims to decrease the risk ofpipes being dislocated upon sudden impact/shock, of drowning, and tosurpass the range of SCUBA-type devices without the implementation ofexternal pipes, gas-tanks, etc. The PAR works upon the principles ofcountercurrent exchange. Countercurrent exchange is a design by whichfish and other organisms with gill-like structures absorb oxygendirectly from their environment (water, in this case) by running bloodand water past a permeable surface against each other. However, as anexternal device, the PAR utilizes the Carbon Dioxide exhaled by thehuman body, instead of blood as a medium for this transfer. This devicealso utilizes Teflon/PTFE as the permeable surface, or filter, in thisprocess. Experiments with a process similar to countercurrent exchangerelating to the Membrane Oxygenator have shown that with Polyethylene0.0008″ thick, 3 cc of oxygen are allowed to diffuse through per minute,and 8 cc are allowed per minute with Teflon 0.00075″ thick. In addition,at esophageal temperatures of 28 degrees celsius, the human lungconsumes 5-6 mL of Oxygen per minute, which means that it is within thePAR's ability to provide enough oxygen for human survival under thecurrent design.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Perpetual Aquatic Rebreather can be employed to assist survival inelongated oceanic/aquatic excursions, because of its' ability to providea self-replenishing supply of oxygen where a sufficient power-source isavailable, the PAR is able to sustain life under conditions that renderdevices of a similar function obsolete. Based upon these principles, thePAR provides solutions to the problems stated in the Background of theInvention section such as: decreasing the risk of drowning, andsurpassing the range of SCUBA-type devices without the implementation ofexternal pipes, gas-tanks, etc. by, as also stated in the aforementionedsection, using the processes of countercurrent exchange to provide asufficient supply of oxygen to the user through a portable mask-likeapparatus without external aid or assistance. The PAR can then pulloxygen from its environment and sustain life as long as a sufficientpower source is available. The prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 8,631,788Butilizes the same principle of countercurrent exchange for a similarpurpose, but its design is such that the actual mechanism that producesthe oxygen is held within a backpack and is then connected to the user'sblood flow to help infuse Oxygen and diffuse Carbon Dioxide, whereas,the PAR is an external device that has no need to come into contact withblood of any kind during use, is a device that is free to move withoutthe burden of a “backpack” or tanks, and dispels Carbon Dioxide throughthe low-pressure system(s) created when oxygen and hydrogen permeate tothe other tube. Hydrogen is also allowed to permeate together with theOxygen because as humans breathe 100% Oxygen, the lungs eventually fillwith fluid and absorption slows down, thereby causing sometimesirreparable damage to the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The mentioned features and advantages shall become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following descriptions of the preferredembodiment and structure, especially when the drawings withcorresponding numerals and views are taken into consideration.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the entire PAR

FIG. 2 is a planar view depicting the bottom of the PAR, a side notshown in FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the PAR along the plane representedby the dashed line in FIG. 1

FIG. 4 is a planar view depicting the final side of the PAR not shown inFIG. 1 or FIG. 2

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For this invention, certain terminology shall be used for convenience ofdescription and are in no way meant to constrict this device. Vocabularyand vernacular such as (but not limited to) “downwards”, “attach”, or“cut” shall be used in this section to refer to directions/orientationand alignment in the preferred embodiment. Any mention of specificmaterials beside the permeable Teflon or Polyethylene filter/surface andmeasurements shall be left to the discretion of those skilled in the artas long as the materials resemble and/or serve a similar purpose tothose mentioned in this section. Furthermore, these instructions must betaken into consideration with the drawings provided to form a moreaccurate and complete picture. Also information that is supplementarybut crucial to clarifying certain steps in this process shall beincluded as notes.

-   1. Cut out or obtain 2 pieces of 4 by 3 inch material, indicated by    reference number 3 and 6, and 2 pieces of 4 by 2.5-inch sheet    material, indicated by reference number 1, to attach in the    configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Before attaching the pieces,    cut them with the shapes shown in the drawings mentioned above.-   2. Cut 2 pieces of ¼ inch thick (at inside diameter) flexible pipe    at a length of 6⅜ inches, and 2 pieces of ¼ inch thick (at inside    diameter) flexible pipe at a length of 3.5 inches. (Note: When    adjusting these measurements per the manufacturing craftsman's    discretion, the pipes cut in this step must be cut in such a way    that they are able to be configured in the way shown by reference    numbers 7 and 8.-   3. (Note: This step must be repeated until you have two copies of    the product made in this step) Join 1 piece of 3.5-inch-long    flexible piping with the 6⅜ inch piece of pipe. But first, cut a    3/16 by 1-inch rectangular hole where the two pipes are supposed to    be joined and attach a 0.0008 in thick hydrophobic PTFE filter. Then    bend the excess of the 3.5-inch pipe over the other side of the 6⅜    inch pipe and bend the farthest end of the longer pipe up and over    back towards the other end, see FIG. 3, reference numbers 7 and 8    for clarification on configurations.-   4. Cut 2, 3 by 2.5-inch stainless metal sheets. On one of which 4    circles, each with diameter ¼ inch must be cut in 2 equally spaced    rows of 2, on one, see reference number 9.-   5. Cut 2 squares at the height of the 3.5-inch-long pipe seen in the    pipe configuration of FIG. 3 and with a side length of ¼ inches on    the other sheet, see FIG. 1, reference number 2.-   6. Insert the two copies of the “product” made in step 3 into the    husk made in step 1, and line up the pipes pointing downwards with    the edges of the hole/space of reference number 6 before positioning    the “product” as shown in FIG. 3 and fixing it in place, making sure    that they pipes aren't obstructed by the battery pack shown in    reference number 5.-   7. Next, take the sheets made in step 4 & 5, see reference numbers 9    and 2, and align the free ends of the flexible piping structures    before attaching.-   8. After the main body is constructed through the steps mentioned    previously, the craftsmen must then join a power source sufficient    to help evaporate moving water, such as a waterproof double 12 V 23A    battery holder, see reference number 5, with the underside of the    main body as shown in FIG. 2.-   9. Center a silicone nose piece, see reference number 4, on the edge    closest to the sheet of stainless metal made in step 4, see FIG. 1.

Through these steps, the craftsman is able to manufacture the PAR, thisdevice is then able to (as mentioned above) provide the user with asufficient oxygen supply from the surrounding environment without theneed for pipes, gas tanks, etc. The PAR also eliminates the danger oflosing your oxygen supply if stunned and/or paralyzed. Further, the PARdiffers from the prior art mentioned in the background of the inventionsection as it is an external device and does not require the directinteraction of blood.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. Any mechanical apparatus that is not unlike the PAR in purpose and uses the countercurrent exchange principle to deliver the gas to the user.
 2. Any mechanical apparatus that is not unlike the PAR in purpose that produces and delivers gases through the interaction of insulated pipes and permeable filters (e.g. Teflon/PTFE) as described in the Detailed Description of the Invention and depicted in the drawings.
 3. Any mechanical apparatus that is not unlike the PAR in purpose that produces gasses with the help of a sufficient power source like (but not limited to) the waterproof, 12 Volt 23A batteries mentioned in the Detailed Description of the Invention. 